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Dogs riding in drivers lap.

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Sydney

1216738		 
 
Barked: Sun Feb 12, '12 7:45pm PST 
Probably been covered before, drives me nuts when I see this. Not only does this effect reaction time when the dog is hanging over your arm out the window, but what happens when you do get in an accident? That air bag will crush poor puppy. Of course they call themselves dog lovers, but I want to keep me, other drivers and my Sydney safe. Because I love him.

Edited by author Sun Feb 12, '12 7:47pm PST

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Mr. Jake the- Beagle

I am Murphy's- Law Embodied! <3- Me!		 
 
Barked: Sun Feb 12, '12 9:00pm PST 
I had a coworker who's dog used to ride in her lap. Note the term used to. She got rear ended on the freeway and her dog in a panic bolted and got hit by another car. I've also seen when dogs become a projectile in an accident. Jake wears a chest harness with a seat belt loop that keeps him in the backseat at all times when the car is in. Motion.

You should always have the dog restrained in the backseat or a crate. If an airbag can kill a child under 40lbs imagine what it will do to a dog.

It's safest for pets to not be in the laps of there owners.
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Conker - CGC, CA

OBEY ME!		 
 
Barked: Mon Feb 13, '12 1:55pm PST 
It's illegal here. So is having a dog in an open-top vehicle without a restraint.
It's not only illegal, but flat-out stupid. If you've got an airbag and it goes off, goodbye dog. If you crash and you aren't wearing your seatbelt, goodbye dog. Also, it is a horrid distraction having an animal in your lap. You might not think it is but every person I have seen driving with a small dog or cat or whatever in their lap has not been paying as much attention to the road as they should be.
For the safety of ME and OTHER PEOPLE around you, don't drive with the dog in your lap.
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Zephyr

1213425		 
 
Barked: Mon Feb 13, '12 9:54pm PST 
Amen Conker.

I can't tell you if it's illegal here but it should be. My younger terrier broke out of her seatbelt in the back and managed to weasel her way to the front seat. She gets hysterical if she's loose in the car and tries to work her way into my lap. I had to pull over on an emergency stopping only lane because I will not drive with a dog unsecured.

Zeph sits/lazes in the front seat with the airbag off and belted in with her harness.

The other three are crated or in their seatbelts in the back. The new pup will have to be belted in the back too since I can't figure out how to wedge a crate into my car to fit him and he's never traveled outside of a crate. That should be a fun adjustment.

Edited by author Mon Feb 13, '12 9:55pm PST

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Yoshi

XD		 
 
Barked: Tue Feb 14, '12 12:14pm PST 
It's illegal here, and rightly so. I can't believe people are stupid enough to do that. Would you drive with a small child in your lap? I sure hope not. confused

Here in Canada it's also illegal to use cell phones while driving. That law was passed in 2009, and I have to say I totally agree with it. smile
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MIKA&KAI

Akita Pals- Always.
 
 
Barked: Wed Feb 15, '12 9:32am PST 
I too hate to see this. My dogs are as big as I am or nearly so and from puppy up have ridden in the back seat restrained for their safety,my safety and especially the safety of other drivers on the road. One of the scariest experiences I ever had was driving behind a woman obviously over 70 years old,hardly able to see over the dash of her 1970 something Cadillac,with two full grown GSD jumping from the back seat to the front and trying to get on her lap. There was no way around her because she was driving in the middle of both lanes either because she didn't realize there were two lanes,the dogs were blocking her view,she couldn't see over the dash,or the dogs were interfering with her ability to control either by distracting her or blocking her view. I pulled over,stopped in a store to avoid being on the road with her and reported her plate number to the police. I hope they did something to keep her from being a hazard to other drivers but since there is no law against it here they probably didn't. I wish it were illegal. It was in my opinion certainly irresponsible of her to drive with her dogs behaving that way,she put alot of people in danger by allowing them to behave like that and continue to drive with them doing it.
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Isabelle

Tougher than I- look!! :)
 
 
Barked: Thu Feb 23, '12 10:35am PST 
I've got little dogs that actually fit in my lap, and I won't drive with them there! I put them in the back seat, belted in. Same as Siri.

I've had to stop for an untangling a couple of times when I took Siri and Wicket to get their nails done, but Belle and Evie are really good back there.
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Member Since
12/31/1969		 
 
Barked: Mon Apr 2, '12 4:30am PST 
i also have a dog.when i go any where i have a bag that is only for my dog.i put my dog into this bag and placed it on the back seat.you must have to take some thing which the dog is easily place at the back seat.
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